Bottle-soaking machine.



4 SHEET'S-SHEET I.

Patented July 24, 1917.

B. F. BElJT'LlCH. BOTTLE SOAKNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLEDMJAN. 2B. 1914.

H'. F.. BEUTLICH.

BOTTLE SOAKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAI'I. 28,1914.

Patented' July 24,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Lamm.

Inf/WMU? R. F. BEUTLLCH.

BOTTLE SOAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION P ILED IMLZB.. 1914. {1,1%611 Paten-ced July 24, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

R.'F. BEUTLICH.

BOTTLE SOAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Mmm, 19|4.

Patented July 24, 1917.-

4 SHEETSwSHEET 4.

lill @TAF PAINT FFME.

RICHARD F. BEUTLICH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE 20TH CENTURY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-SOAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 241, 1917.

Application filed January 2S, 1914.. Serial No. 814,955.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD F. BEUT- Lren, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Soaking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for soaking of bottles of all kinds but more particularly and more extensively used for the soaking of beer bottles and the object thereof is to provide a simple and efficient machine intended more especially for use by concerns having a small capacity.

My bottle soaking machine comprises an upright tank containing the solution and an endless conveyer having thereon a series of bottle racks secured at one endto the conveyer and discharging at right angles to the plane of travel of the endless conveyer. The various features of advantage and utility in my machine will be understood from the description hereinafter given.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my machine with a portion of the soaking tank and the rinsing tank broken away; Fig. 2, a detail section on an enlarged scale of one of the bottle racks and the conveyer; Fig. 3 a sectional elevation on the line 3-8 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation on the line 4-1 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 a detail view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a position of the bottle racks on the other side of the conveyer as compared with those shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 a detail view of a portion of a bottle rack showing means for opening the door thereof; Fig. 7 a sectional plan on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 a detail view of a portion of the endless conveyer and the bottle racks; Fig. 9 a detail view on an enlarged scale of one of the sprocket wheels and the chain conveyer, and Fig. 10 a sectional elevation taken on the line l0, 10 of Fig. 41.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention as shown in the drawings, the soaking tank l is a vertical tank of suitable shape and dimensions but shown herein as of rectangular formation as to its lower portion and having a curved hood portion 1'b1 inclosing the same except as to the front side. At the front of the soaking tank is arranged a rinsing tank 2 supported at its inner end upon the angle bar 3 connected with the soaking tank and toward its outer end by the post l. Between the open portion of the soaking tank and the rinsing tank is an inclined bottle chute 5.

The bottles are arranged to be placed in racks which are mounted upon an endless conveyer in the form of a chain adapted to travel in a vertical plane within the liquid or solution in the soaking tank. This conveyer comprises an upper rolling support in the form of a sprocket wheel G and a similar lower sprocket wheel 7. The upper wheel is secured t0 a drive shaft 8 having its bearings in the boxes 9 which are adjustable by means of the screws 9il in the vertical guides 10 mounted on the angle plates 1b on opposite sides of the soaking tank. The lower sprocket wheel is mounted on a cross shaft 11 whose ends are supported in the bearing bosses 12 on opposite sides of the tank. rlhe endless conveyer further comprises the chain composed of the links 13 which are secured in suitable manner to one end only of bottle racks 14, as by means of the screws 15 passing through the flanges 16 on said links. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5 the links are secured to the racks substantially at their middle portion.

The chains are guided by means of the two parallel guide frames 17, which are in the form of angle irons bent at their middle portion so as to form an inverted U-shaped frame, as clearly seen in Fig. 3. These frames are secured in place at their upper ends by means of the arms 18 engaging the shaft 8 at their inner ends and the frames 17 at their outer ends. The lower ends of these guide frames have connecting members 19 with central slots engaging over the cross shaft l1. It will be understood that, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the chain travels between the two frames 17 and is guided thereby.

On opposite sides of the guide frames are arranged star wheels 2O which are adapted to contact with the attached end of the bottle racks in order that the same may be supported at the time that they are going over the top sprocket wheel and under the bottom sprocket wheel, it being understood that there are two of these star wheels mounted on the shaft S and two star wheels on thev shaft 11. These star wheels are arranged in pairs with the members of each pair on opposite sides of their adjacent sprocket wheel. These star` wheels are constructed with a series of iiat peripheral portions prof jecting slightly beyond the outer surface of the guiding frame 17 for the purpose of engaging and supporting the racks during their turningv movements at the ends of the carrier, that is, while they are making their tiirns around the top and bottom sprocket wheels. As shown in detail in Fig. l10, the racks project materially beyond both sides of the chain and consequently it is desirable to have some means such as the star wheels particularly at the top of the carrier for engaging and supporting the racks, thereby to prevent tilting and to compel them to make the turning movement in prop/.er pOStion.

The bottle racks may be made of any desired size and dimensions according to the size and. capacity of the soaking tank but in the present instance each rack is shown divided by the partitions 21 into three separate compartments la, as seen in full; lines in Fig.` 4 thereby accommodating three bottles. Each rack is provided at its front side with a door 22 hinged along one edge which .is the lower edge when the racks are descending. into the solution and` the upper edge when such racks are ascending inthe soak-V ing tank.

1t will be understood that the bottle racks are secured at one end only to the chains and that the discharge is in a direction at right angles. to the plane of movement ofl the conveyer.` Owing tothe described hinging of the doors the same have a tendency to open as they descend, that is on the left hand stretch of the chain in-Figs. 3 and fi, and such. doors are kept closed by Contact with the front wall of the soaking tank. Vhile these doors thus have a tendency to open, yet in practice their hinges. are somewhat stiff', the soaking solution in time making them thus, The bottles are fed into the racks at the left hand side of the machineV (Figs. 3:,

and, 4e) in the open space at the upper end' of the tank. For this purpose the doors are opened by hand if they are not opened sufficiently by gravity and the bottles are thereupon introduced into the compartments or pockets. The conveyer travels downwardly on this left hand stretch carrying the bottles through the solution, it being understood that the racks are provided with a suitable number of perforations to permit the free access of the solution into the interior thereof for soaking the bottles. Uien the racks are on the descending stretch, that is on the feeding side, they are inclined up wardly as to their front ends, as seen in Fig. 2, but after rounding the lower sprocket wheel their position becomes reversed into that illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the front ends of the racks are shown inclined downwardly in a position for discharge whenever the door ofua rack is permitted tojopen.

As stated the doors are kept closed by the front wall` of the solution tank and consequently whenever a rack on the ascending stretch rises above such wall or rather above the bottle chute 5the door will be permitted to be opened and the bottles to be discharged down such chute and intoV the rinsing tank. In case the doors of the bottle racks are easily o enable the pressure of the bottlesV therewit iin will open the doors automatically but owing ,toV the fact that such easy action of these doors is not possible in View of the fact that they have to pass through a strong solution o-r at least such action is. not

reliable, 1 prefer to employ means for posi-V tively o ,ening these doors when at the proper height or discharge. These means consist of a stationary bar 23, secured to one side of the tank and interposed in the 'path of movement of a curved finger 24 projecting from one side of the door with the result that the contact of such linger with the bar will compel an .opening movement of the door after which the linger will ride by the bar. This finger is arranged..substantiallyV at the pivotal 4point of' the door7 Vas seen in Figs. Sand 6. i

The shaft 8 is the drive shaft of the con# veyer andl the saine may be driven by any suitable driving connections. 1n the present instance the same is4 driven by connections comprising the worm gear 25 secured thereto, the worm 26 on horizontal shaft 27, puljley 28 on said latter shaft,belt Q9-, pulley 30 at one end of the horizontal shaft 31, pulley 32 on the other endl, belt 33", pulley 35i-,gears 35 and 36 and' electricmotor 37. 1n the present instance this motor also drives a brush 381 by which the bottles after being soaked may be brushed'.

escribinga cycle of operation of the maf chine, the bottles are fed at thek left hand side of the machine when viewed in Figs. 3, 4; vand- 7, the stretch of the conveyer at this side being the descendingk one. The doors,

les

if not already open, are opened by hand and the bottles are inserted in the compartments in the rack presented. As the racks arrive at the loading place they are loaded With the bottles. The racks descend through the solution, the door being closed automatically by contact with the front Wall of the solution of the soaking tank and are kept closed until they are near the upper end of the ascending stretch of the conveyer. After a loaded rack has cleared the upper end of the chute 5, its door Will not only be permitted to open but Will be positively opened by contact of the finger 24 With the stationary bar 23 Whereupon the bottles will drop out of the rack and slide downwardly on the chute 5 and into the rinsing tank. While going over the upper sprocket Wheel and under the lower sprocket Wheel the racks will be kept from tilting by means of the star Wheels in the manner clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

I claim:

l. In a bottle soaking machine, the cornb-ination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a chain, sprocket Wheels which are arranged in the tank and over which the chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, and meansmounted adjacent the sprocket Wheels and arranged to rotate in unison therewith to support the racks during their' turning movements around said Wheels.

2. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a chain, sprocket Wheels Which are arranged in the tank and over Which the. chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, and supporting Wheels mounted on opposite sides of the sprocket Wheels for supporting the racks during their turning movements around the sprocket Wheels.

3. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a chain, sprocket Wheels which are arranged in the tank and over which the chain passes, shafts Which are mounted in the tank to which the sprocket Wheels are secured, both tlc racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, and supporting Wheels arranged on opposite sides of the sprocket Wheels and adapted to support the racks on opposite sides of said point of connection during the turning movements around the sprocket wheels.

4. In a bottle soaking machine, the com bination of a tank, an endless carrier mount-- ed to travel therein and consisting of a chain, sprocket Wheels Which are arranged in the tank and over which the chain passes, shafts which are mounted in the tank and to which the sprocket Wheels are secured,

bottle racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, and star Wheels secured to the shafts on opposite sides of the sprocket wheels and in parallel relationship there- With, said star Wheels being adapted to support the racks on opposite sides of said point of connection during their turning movements around the sprocket Wheels.

5. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an'endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a single chain, sprocket Wheels which are arranged in the tank and over Which the chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, and a pair of frames arranged Within the tank on opposite sides of the chain for guiding and preventing lateral movement of the latter.

6. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a single chain, sprocket Wheels Which are arranged in the tank and over Which the chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end of the chain, and a pair of elliptical shaped frames arranged Within the tank on opposite sides of the chain for guiding the latter.

7. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a single. chain, sprocket Wheels Which are arranged. in the tank and over Which the chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, a pair of frames arranged Within the tank on opposite sides of the chain for guiding and preventing lateral movement of the latter, and means located adjacent said frames for supporting the racks during their turning movements at the loops of the carrier around the sprocket Wheels.

8. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a single chain, sprocket Wheels which are arranged in the tank and over which the chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end to the chain, a pair of frames arranged. Within the tank on opposite sides of the vchain .for guiding and preventing lateral movement of the latter, and a pair of star wheels at each end of the carrier and having portions projecting beyond said frames for engaging and supporting the racks during their turning movements at the loops of the carrier around the sprocket Wheels.

9. In a bottle soaking machine, the combination of a tank, an endless carrier mounted to travel therein and consisting of a single chain, sprocket Wheels which are arranged in the tank and over which the chain passes, bottle racks connected centrally at one end of the chain, a pair of frames arfor engaging and supporting the racks durranged Within the tank on opposite sides ing their turning movements adjacent the of the chain for guiding and preventing sprocket Wheels. Y lateral movement of the latter, shafts for RICHARD F. BEUTLICH. seid sprocket Wheels, and 2L pair of star Vitnesses: Y Wheels mounted on each shaft, one star S. E. HIBBEN,

Wheel on each side of its sprocket Wheel, ROBERT DOBBERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, IJ. C. 

